Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Jesse

M y heart throbs out a beat that I've never before felt as Tallula's lips brush mine softly. She draws back from the kiss, tracing her fingers along my lower lip as if not believing that we're doing this.

Warmth kindles between us, and I kiss each of her fingertips. Her eyes cloud over and then blink closed. Once more, our mouths meet.

Her breath is shallow as the kiss continues and deepens. I've never been off the continent, yet I feel like I'm exploring foreign territory—kissing Tallula is an entirely new language. One I want to be fluent in. I chronicle everything I know about her—the sugar-sweet scent, big heart for small dogs, ability to bake blind, and the way she's accepted humility. But I want to know more about her—everything—and become an expert in all things Tallula. What makes her laugh, smile, and forget her worries .

Her hands rove toward my jaw and mine find hers. We're so filled up by each other, by the thunder of our hearts, and this moment, that our surroundings, the whole world turns fuzzy, and I get lost in the kiss.

When we finally catch our breath, I recline on the picnic blanket. Tallula nestles in close to me, resting her head in the crook of my arm.

Taking a deep breath and a risk, I say, "When you got back to town, I was afraid you'd remember our first kiss and not want anything to do with me. Not because the kiss was bad. But because I was. Even though I acted like a tough guy, I was ashamed. I'm not that guy anymore," I whisper.

Picking up my meaning, she replies, "I'm not that girl."

No, she's a woman. More gorgeous than ever, growing in confidence, becoming who she was meant to be which is nothing short of herself—her true self not hidden behind who she thinks she needs to be or who people want her to be. The gorgeous, glowing Tallula she was always meant to be.

"What changed?" she asks.

Sitting up, I tug up the back of my shirt, revealing a series of scars. Her breath catches because the rough and thick swath of skin indicates there was significant pain. I prefer to think of it as a blessing.

"What happened? A wake-up call. Literally. As usual, I was up to no good. Out partying with my cousin."

"Sawyer?"

"Yeah, you might remember him as being a real wastoid back in the day." I wish he'd answered the same call I got after the accident or at least would return mine in the present. Chances are he lost or sold his phone. Imagining the trouble he's in makes my jaw tight and that's not how I want to feel after kissing Tallula.

Exhaling, I say, "He had too much to drink and fell asleep at the wheel—I was already passed out in the passenger seat."

Her expression drops as if anticipating what I'm about to say. "Based on the rubber marks on the road, we spun twice and then somehow flipped over the wrought-iron fence at Cameron Memorial Grounds."

She gasps. "The cemetery?"

"Landed upside down between two rows of graves."

Tallula inhales sharply. "You could've died."

"I know. It was a wake-up call. They put me in a coma and some very skilled, courageous, and amazing people saved my life. Almost lost the use of my legs, but thankfully, God had other plans. He called. I answered. Got on track. It came down to a choice between becoming a police officer or paramedic."

"That's an incredibly inspiring story, Jesse."

Her words touch a tender place inside. "I'm trying to right some wrongs. My own and in my family."

"You're not obligated to them?—"

I shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I have to try to be a better example, be my own man, and break whatever chains try to drag me back with the hope that maybe that'll help pull them forward. You know?"

"Yes and no. I mean, I guess we all have our issues. "

"Oh yeah? What's yours?"

"You were the bad boy. I was the good girl. Still am in a lot of ways. But it goes deeper than that. I don't know what compelled you to act the way you did. For me, I just wanted to be seen. Not because I was pretty though. For who I was, who I am. But no matter how hard I tried, I was still just the pretty girl. Ironic that I thought working in Hollywood, land of movie sets and facades, would change that."

My gaze wanders from Tallula's delicate neck, to her beauty mark, to her brown eyes. "I see your beauty, but I also see your bravery—it's not easy going back to a place you thought was the problem, where people saw you a certain way, and where, most importantly, you acted a certain way. It's tough."

"Being back in Hogwash is strange. It's like nothing changed and everything did. I expected more resistance to my return. I guess that was all coming from me."

"Have you read the Pest Digest lately?"

"Yeah, people have no problem talking about me but don't take much time to talk to me. I don't know which is worse, the giant telescope that is social media or the microscope that's our local gossip mill."

I chuckle.

"How about you? Was it hard when you made your big return?"

"I had a reputation and a rap sheet to reconcile. My behavior didn't improve until I was in my early twenties. The hole I'd dug was deep. First, I walked into the police station and tried to turn myself in. "

"For what?" She brushes her hand over her wrist, likely thinking of when she tried to have me arrest her.

"All the things they hadn't caught me doing."

She laughs. "That's audacious."

"Or stupid. Anyway, they loved the idea but refused. So, I asked if I could go to the Academy. You can imagine the hysterical laughter that ensued. But I wasn't joking. I cleaned myself up, started working out, and applied. There were a few detours and challenges, but I showed them I would be an asset."

"That's quite the underdog story. Could be a movie."

I sling my arm around Tallula's shoulders, hugging her close. "Only if you get to be the love interest."

She curls into me as we watch the sun set...and then our lips meet again. My hands skim her smooth lines, making my stomach squeeze and my chest too. I really like this woman. If I had to go through all that trouble to get here, to get to this moment, I count it as a blessing. There's no one I'd rather try to be better—it would be an honor to give this woman the very best version of myself.

The pressure of her lips against mine slackens. "What?" she asks. "Seems like you're thinking about something."

"Oh, just us."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's not a bad thing. Not at all." Cupping her cheek, I pull her close, desperate to show Tallula just how good it can be, starting with this kiss and ending with my arms around her as we snuggle under the stars.